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An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

Walker's proposed budget would reduce arts funding

Gov. Scott Walker's two-year, $59.2 billion budget proposal recommends reductions in funding for the state's arts board and an elimination of the Percent for Art public art program.

Walker's proposes cutting $1.6 million or about 68% percent of the budget for the Wisconsin Arts Board, which would be merged into the Department of Tourism, according to Walker's plan, released Tuesday. The arts board provides funds for artists and arts groups throughout the state as well as education programs and networking opportunities for artists.

A state must have an organization like the arts board in order to get funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and it must match those federal funds in order to get them. Walker's proposal reduces the arts board's funding to a level that meets that requirement.

The state's Percent for Art program, which was established more than 30 years ago and requires a small percentage of the budget of select capital projects be spent on public art, would be eliminated under Walker's plan. This would cut $500,700 from the overall budget.

Thursday is Arts Day, an all-day, annual event when arts advocates from around the state gather in Madison to make a case for the arts through various events and activities. More information about the event, organized by Arts Wisconsin, can be found at: www.artswisconsin.org.

About Mary Louise Schumacher

Mary Louise Schumacher is the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic. She writes about culture, design, the urban landscape and Milwaukee's creative community. Art City is her award-winning cultural page and a community of more than 20 contributing writers and artists.

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Keep up with the art scene and trends in urban design with art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher. Every week, you'll get the latest reviews, musings on architecture and her picks for what to do on the weekends.